Chesterfield Well Dressing

Type:Well Dressing

About

Well dressing is an ancient custom unique to Derbyshire. Chesterfield began well dressing in 1864 when the Town Pump in Market Place was decorated after a very dry summer. The custom died out, but was revived in 1991 when a well was dressed as part of an exhibition about Derbyshire traditions.

Well dressing is the art of making pictures using only natural materials, but this doesn’t explain how such intricate and detailed pictures can be made using only seeds, berries, leaves, flowers… Look at the pictures – can you see where we used dried camomile flowers, alder cones, lavender, melon seeds, peppercorns, onion skin and chrysanthemum and gerbera petals?

There will be two well dressings on show in Chesterfield town centre this year as well as one at Spital Cemetery. Details about their well dressing can be found here

Well Locations
‘Crooked Spire’ Church Porch
Market Place on Town Pump (opposite Primark)

Spital Cemetery
The wells will be open from 9am and closed and locked at 5pm (at 4pm on Sunday)

Blessing Service
Saturday 8 September 2018, 10am at ‘Crooked Spire’ Church (S40 1XJ)

TripAdvisor

Map & Directions

Road Directions

Chesterfield Market is signposted from all town centre car parks.

From North/South Leave M1 at junction 29 and follow A617 to Chesterfield (approx 4 miles). At traffic light controlled roundabout select middle lane and take 3rd exit. At next roundabout select middle lane and take 2nd exit (Lordsmill Street). Select left hand lane and take first left (Beetwell Street). Follow road for approx 500 yards (passing Coach Station on left), and turn left down Park Road. Take first left turning into Beetwell Street multi storey car park.

For surface car parks at traffic light controlled roundabout select middle lane and take 3rd exit. At next roundabout select right lane and take 2nd exit (Lordsmill Street). Keep in right lane and, at traffic lights turn right (Spa Lane). Take 1st left and car parks on left and right

From East Follow A617 to junction with M1 motorway, then follow route from North/South.

From West Follow A619 to Chesterfield. At traffic light controlled roundabout (Lidl on left) select middle lane and take 2nd exit turning left into Rutland Road. Select right hand lane at traffic lights at top of hill and turn right. Take 3rd right turning (Rose Hill East) and turn into car park on left or right.

Related

Chesterfield Market, ChesterfieldTo market to market, to buy ... you'll be surprised at what you can buy at Chesterfield Market, it's just a matter of finding it among the many stalls at one of the biggest open air markets in the country.

Chesterfield, ChesterfieldNorth Derbyshire's largest market town is perhaps most famous for the distinctive Crooked Spire that dominates its skyline.
Stories abound as to why it twisted, but its unusual shape is thought to have been triggered by green timber covered with heavy lead tiles. Whatever the truth, the base of...